The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Robert Westerby (screenplay)
Paul Gallico (book)

Release Date:

4 June 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Drama

Tagline:

I Am Thomasina -A Most Unusual Cat...They Say I'm Enchanted, and I Am!

Plot:

Thomasina the cat brings a family together, through her mysterious death and reappearance.

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Veterinarian | Animal | Circus | Atheist

Cast

Patrick McGoohan	...	Andrew McDhui
Susan Hampshire	...	Lori MacGregor
Laurence Naismith	...	Reverend Angus Peddie
Jean Anderson	...	Mrs. MacKenzie
Wilfrid Brambell	...	Willie Bannock
Finlay Currie	...	Grandpa Stirling
Alex Mackenzie
Vincent Winter	...	Hughie Stirling
Denis Gilmore	...	Jamie McNab
Charles Carson	...	Doctor
Ruth Dunning
Ewan Roberts	...	Constable McQuarrie
Oliver Johnston	...	Mr. Dobbie
Francis De Wolff	...	Targu (as Francis de Wolff)
Nora Nicholson	...	Old Lady
Gwen Nelson
Jack Stewart	...	Birnie
Karen Dotrice	...	Mary McDhui
Matthew Garber	...	Geordie
Elspeth March	...	Thomasina (voice)

Directed by
Don Chaffey

Writing credits
Robert Westerby		(screenplay)
Paul Gallico		(book "Thomasina")

Produced by
Hugh Attwooll	....	associate producer
Walt Disney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Paul J. Smith		(as Paul Smith)

Cinematography by
Paul Beeson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gordon Stone

Art Direction by
Michael Stringer

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse

Makeup Department
Harry Frampton	....	makeup artist
Betty Sherriff	....	hair stylist
Frank Turner	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Basil Appleby	....	unit manager
Peter Manley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Bertera	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Terence Churcher	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Jenkins	....	second assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Terry Marcel	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Clive Midwinter	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Vernon Dixon	....	set dresser
Norman Dorme	....	chief draughtsman (uncredited)
A.J. Van Montagu	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Gus Walker	....	construction manager (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist (as Gordon McCalum)
C.C. Stevens	....	sound recordist
Graham V. Hartstone	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Gus Lloyd	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jim Fetherolf	....	special effects
Ub Iwerks	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
David Harcourt	....	camera operator
Michael Reed	....	additional photographer
Ray Sturgess	....	additional photographer
Alan Hall	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
John Jay	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Alec Mills	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Casting Department
Maude Spector	....	casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brenda Dabbs	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)

Music Department
Walter Sheets	....	orchestrator
Eric Rogers	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Jimmy Chipperfield	....	animals
Walt Disney	....	presenter
Marjorie Lavelly	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Walt Disney Company (UK)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1988) (UK) (video)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements. (1992 re-issue)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Scottish Gaelic

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (certificate #20535) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1992) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Inveraray, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

As with most animals in films, several cats were used. Unfortunately, the cats used were not a good match for each other: while both are red tabby cats, one of those used is a "classic" tabby with markings that show a "bullseye" on its side, and another used is a "mackerel" tabby with stripes on the side.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the beginning of the movie when Thomasina is running down the street, you can see briefly the shadow of the camera in the bottom left corner.

Quotes:

Thomasina: They started out by calling me Thomas, but when they, um, got to know me better, they changed it to Thomasina.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Disneyland: The Three Lives of Thomasina: Part 3 (#12.10)" (1965)

Soundtrack:

Thomasina

Very nice movie

"The Three Lives of Thomasina" is a very good movie. No questioning, this is one of Disney's best live-action movies. Maybe it's not one of their best known, but it sure is one of the great Disney ones. Curiously, the movie's title doesn't refer to the traditional nine lives of a cat, it refers only to three of them. Curiously, the opening scene is made in one of the strangest ways too, but I like the way that's made for being quite unusual.

The movie can be considered a family drama above all things, but it also has numerous moments of fun. There is very little soundtrack (unlike in many - if not most - Disney movies), but the song "Thomasina" is nice.

The story is set in Scotland, particularly in the town of Inveranoch. The year is 1912. The Scottish scenario makes this a very rich production. Words are not enough to describe these sceneries/landscapes: dazzling, wonderful, beautiful, magnificent, inspiring, fantastic, completely natural and pure. The purity of nature and the surrounding vistas always make a more than perfect panorama. The pleasant sound of the bagpipes accent the Scottish atmosphere.

Our story centers mostly around Andrew MacDhui (a cold and distant veterinarian who doesn't show much feelings for pets), his daughter Mary and Mary's beloved cat Thomasina. Not only on these characters, but also on Mary's friends Hughie, Jamie and Geordie.

Mary's 3 friends make the movie's funniest moments, especially whenever they peek at Lori (the beautiful and kind young woman who cures all injured and sick beings) and runaway from her. It's hilarious when one of the boys says «She's crazy», a line which sounds even funnier because of the way he says it and especially because of his English with a Scottish or Scottish gaelic accent.

This is the first of 3 films which Matthew Garber and Karen Dotrice star together. Matthew is Geordie, Karen is Mary. Both are excellent. The fact that these 2 lovable kids are here is great. It's impossible not to laugh with Geordie. Yet at the same time he is adventurous and carefree, he is kind and shy. In any of the 3 movies with Matthew and Karen, the funniest of the two is always Matthew.

Thomasina is a beautiful orange tabby cat. She doesn't speak "per se", but in some parts we can hear what she feels. That means, a voice narrates her feelings. For me, this is a more interesting solution that to literally put them talking (moving lips and all). Elspeth March does a great narration job for Thomasina.

Susan Hampshire is great in her role as Lori. Patrick McGoohan is tremendous as Andrew MacDhui. The film was directed by Don Chaffey, the same man who directed "Pete's Dragon".

The movie is generally simple, but there is a scene with spectacular special effects for its time: the sequence which Thomasina is going on a fantasy trip to "Cat Heaven" and encounters Bast (the ancient Egyptian Cat Goddess). Another very well made scene among others is Thomasina's "almost" funeral.

The puppy that Mr. MacDhui tries to offer his daughter is really cute and adorable. Mr. MacDhui changes later in the movie, becoming a better person, more sensible and generous.

This should definitely be on Top 250.